2011 Week 9

The Vandals had no qualms about traveling down south to play the New Mexico State Aggies. Sure, they had a 4-2 record and had been playing at a decent level all year, but they came in with grades from national scouts that included a 58 OVR, 63 OFF, and 58 DEF... not exactly the most talented bunch...

What the Vandals found in Las Cruces that day was a near upset, and one hell of a football game. It was a true defensive battle (yes, I just said the word defense in a game report for NCAA 2009), and although the teams were moving the ball fairly well, neither offense could seem to get into a rythm to put the other team away.

"It was a long day out there, and it was a tough trip for our guys. But, you know, good teams find a way to win on the road, and we fought to the very end for this one."

Coach Guru has been pleased with the "scrappiness" of his Vandals all season.

"The kids just never quit, it's really fun to be a part of out there. Heck, we've got a chance to have a great year for Idaho football, let's just hope we finish out the year just as strong as we are now."

It wasn't clear until the final seconds of the game that Idaho would be able to keep their undefeated conference record this season. The lead changed hands three times in the fourth quarter, with Idaho stealing away the game on a one yard touchdown by fullback Dwayne Dodds with 8 seconds left on the clock.

"Dwayne and the other guys came through like they have all year, and that last drive was pretty special. Nick and the receivers made some big plays to get us down there, and then the offensive line took over and wasn't gonna let us lose. Like I said, I'm really proud of our players after a win like this. They showed that Idaho football isn't gonna roll over anymore, we've got a lot of fight in this team."